a plum blossom for the dragon throne
by Impracticable.Dreamer
Summary: "I'm not—" he struggles to find the right words that could explain himself—because what man just shows up inside the bathing chambers of a beautiful woman without an intent to peek? [Ancient China-inspired!AU. Hiccstrid. Two-shot.]
1. a plum blossom

**_Rating:_** _strong T_

 ** _Disclaimer:_** _I own nothing._

 ** _Inspirations:_** _I'm watching too much CDrama atm. X)_

 ** _Warnings:_** _cliché, I guess? At least by CDrama standards._

 _ **Pre-Story Notes:**_ _So I died and was not able to upload or update any fic these past few weeks. I deeply apologize for that. This fic has been developed since last year, but a lot of things happened in my personal life, and the development of the fic was postponed until recently. This is actually a oneshot that I am dividing into two because of the length. Please enjoy my stupid attempt at fusing Viking elements with Chinese culture. I hope you don't mind something different._

 _ **Shout-outs to:**_ _ **Introvert-Dragon**_ _for the Beta-ing of this fic, and both to_ _ **Kelvin Wang**_ _and_ _ **Bramble Sheep**_ _for fact checking and additional feedback with regards the translations and the culture! I owe so much to the three of you and I am so glad to have interacted with you for this!_

 _On with the story!_

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 **Story Playlist:**

The Heaven Song (Empress of China OST)

Brush on Silk (Memoirs of a Geisha OST)

The Beauty Song (House of Flying Daggers OST)

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 **{ I. }**

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 _The dragon's abode stands majestic proud and vast_

 _And gardens are said to fill the dragon's palace._

 _But high walls hide all and can make mystery last_

 _One wonders what lies behind such great elegance._

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"What are you looking at, my dear daughter?"

Her father's voice snaps her out of her reverie, urging her to release the curtains of the palanquin and turn to him. "There seem to be poems written in banners hung all over the Heavenly Palace, _Baba_."

"Ah yes," he breathes, stealing a peek at the banner hung before the vermilion Entrance Gate of Supreme Tranquility once the carriage moved to accommodate his request to the servants. "The Dragon Emperor is said to be fond of composing poems. When he was considered to be the useless Crown Prince, he resorted to writing and art to express his frustrations."

"And yet he is now the most feared monarch in all the Wilder East," she murmurs contemplatively as the carriage passed by the lion statues guarding the gates. "Even King Dagger and Queen Mala have recognized his sovereignty, all because he is favored by the dragon gods."

"He has proven himself a capable ruler when he avenged his father, destroyed the blasphemous Lord _Xuè Quán_ , released the demon beasts from their curse, and freed the entire Wilder East from the clutches of the fallen Lord," her father counters her. "He is not called the Dragon Emperor for nothing, my daughter."

"I know that he has saved us from Lord Blood Fist and all. I understand. I just—"

The tall doors leading to the Heavenly Palace open, and their palanquin, together with their servants from the _Nán_ State, are ushered in by the Head Eunuch. They are now to enter the grand inner courtyard of the Divine City of the State of Berk, the most powerful empire in the Wilder East, and are now off to the Hall of Supreme Tranquility to meet the Dragon Emperor.

She swallows her words and looks on ahead. She knows in her heart that she isn't ready for this. She isn't ready to get married.

Not when she hasn't met _him_ again yet.

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 _Behind the garden walls are flowers of all kind_

 _And the great dragon protects them as is his task._

 _A day will come when he shall have to choose his bride_

 _And for the flowers, there is none more they could ask._

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"Greetings, General Fish Legs," her father murmurs as soon as he gets out of the palanquin at the steps of the Great Marble Carriageway.

He bows down before the armored youth who received them, a large and husky lad with straw-blonde hair who could not be any older than her. She bows to him just as her father does and remains so until she is introduced.

"Likewise, Your Highness." The general returns their greeting; the air of polite intelligence to him despite his position greatly calms her.

"This is my daughter, the Third Princess of the _Nán_ state, Princess _Yà Sī Cuì_."

"Ah," General Fish Legs smiles at her, "The renowned Princess-General of the Southern States. It was said that a foreigner had gazed upon you and he had uttered the name _Astrid_ —divine beauty in their language—and the name has been stuck with you ever since."

"Indeed," she replies with utmost courtesy. "That is what my older brothers call me."

"The Dragon Emperor is extremely fortunate to have you, then!" His exclamation is rather lively, almost frantic. "That's got to be an additional five points of honor and ten points of reputation for the ruling family. Your father must think so highly of Berk that he has sent a favored daughter to be part of the _Hou Gong_."

She swallows. In her world of constant conflict against threats to her State, she has never once considered marriage. Scratch that, she never even considered marriage to an Emperor—to _the_ Dragon Emperor. As part of his _Imperial Harem_ , nonetheless.

She's sure that she's going to mess up this traditional system somehow, like she always does.

"It is the _Nán_ State's honor to be allied with the State of Berk," her father replies. "We owe a debt to the State after having saved us and the rest of the Wilder East from the fallen Dragon King and the terrorist Lord Blood Fist years ago."

Years before, during the War of the Fallen Dragons Beasts and with the unrest surrounding the states settled in the Wild East, it was most prudent to avoid conflicts and wars by turning potential enemies into in-laws and dinner party guests. It was thus normal that female relatives from foreign rulers be given as consorts to forge political and strategic alliances. Even now that the wars are over, the same practice is still made, although the intents have become different.

"The Emperor has been courting the Princess from afar for three years now, as well," her father adds, "and I think we have let him wait long enough."

"Thank you for the thoughtfulness, Your Majesty," the General bows again. "Please follow me now to the Imperial Hall of Supreme Tranquility. The Dragon Emperor awaits his new bride."

She bites her lip as all of them proceed to climb the steps leading up to the Imperial Hall. She is not looking forward to meeting the emperor, not one bit. Although she is a grown woman who can make her own decisions, she recognizes that the honor and name of her State and family is more important than her freedom. She just hopes that her husband would not favor her or would simply ignore her. Her reputation is that of a hot headed rebellious princess after all, so she is rather confident that she would not be favored.

She just hopes that the Emperor is half the person that _he_ was.

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 _The peony is noble, virtuous and wealthy;_

 _Bright, lucky and refined is the chrysanthemum;_

 _The camellia is beautiful, divine and timely;_

 _Which of these blossoms will the dragon bride become?_

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An older man surrounded by three young ladies with an entourage of attendants behind them greet their arrival at the top of the Marble Carriageway. The three young maidens in the front who were elaborately dressed stand out among the crowd.

Astrid figures that they are the favored wives of the Dragon Emperor, basing on the elaborateness of their robes alone. The Dragon Emperor had once composed a poem for them, and that piece has become quite popular with the peasantry, even outside of Berk.

A beautiful maiden with a slim physique and hints of Uyghur ethnicity gracefully steps forward. The flowing skirt of her _qun_ is a lovely shade of pastel green, beautifully embroidered with silver peony details. It is held in place by a black ribbon just a little bit below the bustline, teasing a peek of the fullness of her bosom but still high enough not to be considered vulgar. Her white blouse, a _ru_ , is hidden underneath the magnificent silver brocade of her long-sleeved robe—a _daxiushan_ —that complemented well with her green eyes. Her hair is elaborately tied up in a half-flipped bun with a large white peony and silver and emerald hair ornaments as decorations.

Her bow is as elegant as her brocade. "Welcome to the Imperial Hall of Supreme Tranquility, Your Majesty."

"I'd like to present Consort _Hǎi Sè_ , the First Princess of the Berserk State," General Fish Legs announces. "The Dragon Emperor affectionately calls her _Heather_ after the name her Western mother has given her. Uncommon, but not unheard of."

The other two ladies step forward and bow as well.

One is a thinner albeit taller lady with a mischievous smirk. Astrid is given the impression that the Emperor indulges her whims, inferring from the rich, predominantly golden _yuanlingpao_ that she wore, which was a round-collared robe with intricate bead detailing around its edges. It fits snugly around her thin frame, the wide skirt trailing behind her in a train. The bright colors of her robes clash with her pale blue eyes, and her long blonde hair is tied up into two symmetric tall buns on either side of her head, which Astrid remembers is called the flying immortal hairstyle. A simple yellow chrysanthemum in her hair completes her look.

The other is a shorter but more curvaceous woman with a twisting snake bun. Her blonde hair is secured with ruby-encrusted golden hair pins and a gilded _buyao_ —a hair pin with long, dangling chains and tassels that swayed every time she moved—with a full-blooming camellia. The _heziqun_ set that she wears is as white as ivory and as flowing as water, its _hezi_ portion—the undergarment—elaborately embroidered and tied with a light pink cloth belt. The garment ends just below her bust line, just like Consort Heather's, showing a hint of a swell of her ample chest. Her _daxiushan_ is a deep red color with gilded edges, luxurious and elaborate.

"This is Consort _Yu Yan_ of Berk," the General gestures to the tall maiden in a _yuanlingpao_ , "but she is usually called 'Rough Nut' by the Dragon Emperor, who thinks that it is a more doting name for her. And this is Consort _Cháhuā_ of the Bog State, whose name is usually shortened as 'Cami' after her favorite flower."

"It is an honor to meet the favored wives of the Dragon Emperor," Astrid mutters in a greeting, bowing to each of them. She pales in comparison when placed together with them, with her simple but impeccable robes. The _ruqun_ set that she wears is as white as ivory and as blue as water, held up with a light blue tie. Her blonde hair is collected at the top of her head and twisted to form a high mallet bun, secured in place by a sapphire-encrusted golden _huasheng_ —a floral hair ornament placed above the middle of the forehead—and a broken jade _chai_ hairpin, which she wears despite clashing with the color palette of her dress. Her look is finished with the plum blossom makeup, with a _huadian_ —a decoration that resembled plum blossoms—adorning her forehead

"It is also an honor to welcome you to the Imperial Harem, Princess Astrid," Consort Cami replies. "The Dragon Emperor will decide your rank in the Imperial Harem. As you are from a smaller state from the South, you would most likely start as a Concubine, and you can move your way up in the Imperial Harem once you bear him a son. We shall guide you in the proper conduct and etiquette in the Imperial Harem."

Astrid suppresses the frown that threatens to form on her face; her state may be small, but her people are honorable and skilled in battle, nevertheless.

"Ready to pleasure the Emperor?" Consort Ruffnut teases, winking at her. It takes all of Astrid's willpower not to strangle her. Or glare at her, at least.

"Not like she has the chance," the only man in the welcoming party chimes in, and everyone turns to face him.

Just like General Fish Legs, this man is hugely built and husky. He wears a simple yet rich deep purple robes and a green jade belt tied around his waist. His posture, Astrid notes, is rather angled, and it takes her a few more seconds to realize that it is because he is an amputee. His right hand holds a mixture of iron and wooden prosthesis as well, and although it might have been unbearable in the past, he seems comfortable enough with his situation.

"This is Minister _Gē Bó_ , the Dragon Emperor's mentor, closest adviser and family friend," the General introduces. "The Dragon Emperor calls him 'Gobber,' though."

"As I was saying," the Minister continues after the formalities, "The emperor is busy expanding his land and making alliances. He barely has any time for palace affairs, and when he does, it's spent on problems of the State. I hear that there is still no child on the way despite the number of concubines in the Imperial Harem."

Astrid does not miss the side-eye glances between Consort Cami and Consort Heather, and she wonders the reason for their discomfort.

"Indeed," her father confirms, slightly alarmed. "He is twenty-three; and although there is still time for him to continue his lineage, several threats to the throne, including assassinations, must worry the nation."

"Exactly," the Minister replies. His voice is light-hearted— _amused_ even—despite the gravity of the issue. "It would be prudent that he produces an heir soon. Or take someone as an Empress at least. The ministers have been urging him to choose a woman who can rule with him on the Dragon Throne to stabilize the civilian unrest."

"Unless he swings the other way and we end up with another Dragon Emperor," Consort Ruffnut whispers jokingly to the other consorts. Astrid fights to keep the smile from forming on her lips.

Consort Cami surreptitiously side-jabs Consort Ruffnut. "Ruff!" she whispers back. "You know we can't have two Emperors!"

Consort Heather steps up to cover them. "I'm sure that the Berserkers, Meatheads and other allied States shall assist the Dragon Emperor if that happens. We owe him our lives."

Before they can continue the discussion, the beating of gongs and the Head Eunuch's shrill voice stops them. "It is the Hour of the Goat. The sun shines. The court resumes. Peace to all." His attendants repeat his announcement.

"Time to introduce you to the groom," Consort Ruffnut whispers in her ear, lightly pushing her forward towards the double doors leading to the Imperial Hall.

"The King and the Princess are summoned by the Dragon Emperor!"

The double doors open, and everyone is ushered in, with Princess Astrid and her father stepping in first. The General and the Minister, accompanied by the Head Eunuch, follow them. The Consorts file in next, and the rest of the attendants follow suit like a short procession.

The Imperial Hall of Supreme Tranquility is by far the largest throne room that she has ever seen. It is at least eleven bays wide and five bays deep, with huge pillars flanking either side of the room. The six pillars nearest the throne are covered with gold, and the entire area is decorated with a dragon motif. The raised Dragon Throne sits on top of a high platform behind a translucent piece of golden cloth with embroidered edges; only a faint silhouette of the Dragon Emperor and his dragon can be seen from their distance.

Astrid steels herself to appear as unaffected as possible. She does not need anyone to point out just how impressed she is with the grandness of the Dragon Emperor's abode. She raises her chin and walks forward with as much grace as she can muster.

"Remain a hundred paces before His Imperial Majesty or both of you will be executed by the Dragon of _Leizi_ and _Yama_ himself!" the Head Eunuch warns behind them.

The Dragon of the Goddess of Lightning and God of Death, eh? She once knew of a dragon long ago who might as well rival this one, then. If she recalls correctly, that dragon was as fast as lightning and as black as death, although his disfigured tail hampered his speed in the air. Unfortunately, it is not in her place to call out for the dragon's assistance. Or the dragon's friend. And it's not like she can reach out to them, anyway.

Astrid obliges and stops a hundred paces away from the throne, setting herself to kowtow before the Emperor. She kneels, her palms and forehead hitting the ground. She hears everyone do the same behind her.

"Your servants kneel before the Dragon Emperor," the Head Eunuch announces, and everyone other than the Princess and the King repeats it.

The Head Eunuch says a few more words, although Astrid can't bear to listen to any more of it. She knows that she's not supposed to look up just yet, but curiosity gets the better of her, and she raises her head to peek—

And to her alarm, the silhouette of the Dragon Emperor looks frighteningly _familiar_. Without thinking, she raises her head to study him further.

Three hundred years ago, it was said that the dragon gods blessed a member of the _Hā Dào kè_ Clan—the _Haddocks_ —to unify the Wilder East under one rule. He succeeded in his quest, but when he died, the dragon gods disappeared as well, only appearing to create and destroy as needed. The Wilder East has then broken into smaller warring states.

A few years ago, a practitioner of the dark and ancient art of _Gu_ , Lord Blood Fist, who believed that he was wronged by the dragon gods, conspired to corrupt them into demon beasts by poisoning them. _Gu_ magic involved sealing several venomous creatures inside a closed container, where they devoured one another and concentrated their toxins into a single survivor. Lord Blood Fist used numerous creatures in his plan—snakes and centipedes, scorpions and spiders, and even the Queen and King of Dragons. His plans succeeded, and with the corrupted King of the Dragon Gods, he was able to manipulate the will of the other dragon gods. The corrupted dragon gods began attacking the States, and thus the War of the Fallen Demon Beasts started.

While trouble was brewing in the other States, in the State of Berk, it is said that the Dragon Emperor was once a talentless Crown Prince who only focused on poems and art, on weapon-making and creating problems for the previous Emperor to solve. He ran away five years ago when he harmed a dragon god, leaving his State in chaos in the middle of the War; this has earned him the title of the Useless Crown Prince.

While he was away, Lord Blood Fist, the terrorist who has caused the dragon gods to go berserk and fall from grace, created havoc in Berk State. The Crown Prince came back, though, riding a dragon god. He defeated Lord Blood Fist, though the war ended with the death of his father, Emperor _Shǐ Tú Yī Kè_.

The Crown Prince eventually appeased the dragon gods, restoring their divinity and cohabiting with them in peace. He assisted the States in their recovery and sought for a unification of the States without bloodshed, a peace in the Wilder East without sacrificing the autonomy of the States. His peaceful unification granted favors from the nearby States, and the other States in turn gave him offerings and princesses for alliance.

After his coronation, he was named as the Dragon Emperor and thus started his reign. Thus started the reign of the new Haddock Dynasty.

Now that she thinks of it, the story of the Dragon Emperor seems to align with _his_ tale five years ago. And _his_ profile seems to outline the golden curtains of the throne.

Lost in her thoughts, she stands up, transfixed at what she is seeing. She approaches the Dragon Throne despite the earlier warning, reaching out her hand to grab the golden curtain that separates the rest of the hall from the Dragon Throne.

She wants to know just who this person is—the Useless Crown Prince who is now the Dragon Emperor.

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 _The entire land knows of the dragon's little past;_

 _He was once a salamander, useless and weak._

 _He left his home to travel the world at long last_

 _For he was deemed unconventionally unique._

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* * *

 **{:: a plum blossom—**

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Hiccup runs faster as the cloaked Trappers chase after him, their spears and swords ready to beat him and his dragon up when they were going to catch them. He had urged his reptilian friend to go on without him earlier so that he could serve as a distraction to the Trappers, and his friend had begrudgingly complied to his plan, although without a hiss of disapproval. He knows that his friend is going to come back for him, but right now, he does not dare put his friend's life in jeopardy.

He looks back every now and then to make sure that his tracks are covered on the snow and the Trappers can lose sight of him, making sure to study the forest and its nearby areas so that he could use the geographical features to his advantage. Noticing a huge structure near the edge of the forest, he races towards edifice before his would-be captors can.

Upon nearing the area, he realizes that he has underestimated the sheer extensiveness of the Palace. It is by no means as big or as grand as his own, though he is sure that he could easily get lost in its maze should he be careless. The structure is composed of sprawling buildings and towers with long hallways, surrounded by a tall wall.

He reaches up to grab the irregular parts and indents on the wall, hoping for stable purchase. With great effort, he manages to climb up and haul himself on its rooftop, dragging himself to balance on top. The snow seeps into his clothes, the thin cloak he is wearing almost immaterial. He is used to the cold, though; in his State, it snows a quarter of a year and hails on the rest. He catches his breath for a second before he lands himself on the other side, dropping on the soft hill-like snow.

When he looks up after calming himself, his jaw almost drops at the beauty of the courtyard.

The courtyard is dotted with several trees with a fresh powder of snow, a beautiful scenery of tranquility in the middle of winter. A fresh scent of flowers tickles his nostrils, and it is in that instant that he realizes that there are blossoms on the trees, slightly hidden by the whiteness of the snow. He was just about to get up from his position to admire them, when hooded figures land softly albeit aggressively on either side of him.

Fuck.

How in the world did they find him that fast?

Figures of at least four men surround him, pointing their weapons at him. "Surrender the beast, bastard!"

"Have you even seen a dragon this far off?" he distracts them as he swiftly bends down to escape from their grasps.

They attack him in unison, but he manages to dodge their jabs, swerving his body to avoid their weapons and rolling on the snow in one swift move to flee from them. His movements are uncultured and clumsy, yet he hopes to the gods that they are effective nonetheless. He is now operating on adrenaline, and his endurance has become instinctive for him—dodging blow by blow, he copes in surviving their advances, though he himself sustained injuries from their relentless punches.

Unfortunately for him, their numbers overpower his tenacity, and he is left cornered on the ground, half buried in snow. His captors raise their weapons together, ready to plunge them into his body. He closes his eyes in agony, waiting for his demise.

"You should have given the beast to us, you imbecile!"

A painful smile erupts from his face. No matter what they do to him, he is sure that it would not matter in the long run. At least Toothless has gotten away.

He can hear the swish of their blades, the sound giving away their position. He feels his heart stop at the dreaded silence—

But the blow never arrives.

Instead, he hears the movement of fabric and the shrill sound of blade against blade—fast and uncoordinated, like a song that has gone out of tune, or an unpracticed dance. The clashing of metals is disturbingly sharp and erratic, yet unmistakably precise every time. Then just as fast as the weapons danced, so was the haste of the sudden silence that came about after one loud slice of a blade.

He carefully opens his eyes and props himself up on his elbows to look. In front of his injured body is a figure facing the Trappers, a vision of deep ivory and light blue standing against the backdrop of falling snow and newly blossoming trees.

He strains his neck trying to figure out what she looks like.

She's wearing a _wéimào_ —a white-veiled, wide-brimmed bamboo straw hat, the edges of the hat decorated with hanging beads and tassels. The veil itself is a relatively transparent fabric, draped like a curtain that reached past her shoulders. It gives him the silhouette of a slender feminine figure, but not a clear view of her other physical features. Other than the blonde hair peeking from her straw hat and the whites and blues of her robes, he has no other inkling of her visage. She looks elegant yet imposing, what with the elaborately carved double-sided _fu_ that she is wielding in her right hand.

"Wh—Who are you?" he manages to choke out at her.

The silhouette appears to whip around to face him, veil and ornaments swishing and tinkling with the movement. A pale hand peeks through the gap in the veil, long and slim fingers parting the fabric to reveal a part of her face.

He is startled by the hypnotizing blue of her eye.

The veil is parted in such a way that only half of her face can be seen, but even with the lack of exposure, he can immediately tell that she is unconventionally beautiful—porcelain skin, a small nose, rosy lips. Her effect on him is more potent than any threat to his life so far, and he is left to gape at her in awe and wonder—

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 _In his lengthy travels the salamander found_

 _The sweet scent of a flower blooming in winter._

 _In her stance of perseverance, he was spellbound_

 _Her beauty was unparalleled like no other._

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"A scholar?"

Her voice snaps him out of his trance. "A poet," he corrects her.

"What sort of ill-conceived poem did you compose for them that they are convinced that it's worth taking your life?"

"It was about their love life," he supplies easily. "Or their lack thereof."

"Shut your trap!" one of them admonishes scathingly, raising his broadsword.

She immediately lets go of the fabric, and the veil falls over her face. Swiftly blocking the attack with one swipe of her axe, she pushes the perpetrator away with the momentum of her weapon.

"Leave us alone, wench," another Trapper chimes in. "This is between us and that twerp; you've no business here."

"I do when you're trespassing upon my family's territory," she retorts, brandishing her axe. She is met with a sword and a spear. The others join in, and in no time, they are engaged in clash of blades once again.

Although she is outnumbered, it appears she has no problem facing them, seeing how effortlessly she dodges and attacks them at the same time. Her movements are graceful and powerful, almost unreal. It is like watching a warrior goddess battle the forces of evil, which may not be far off from the truth, he supposes.

An idea suddenly hits him as he observes their fight.

He could take his leave now, when all of them are distracted by her. He ponders over his alternatives, but the safest, albeit most cowardly thing for him to do was to run away from the chaos. He'd have to leave her, though—this warrior deity who has bothered to save his ass. But there is someone more important to him now.

Toothless.

He wants to see him again, no matter what or who he faces. She'll be angry at his desertion of her, that's for sure, but he's willing to take that risk. It's not like they're going to meet her again, anyway. And even if he does, he'll face her wrath later; he must find Toothless now.

Making up his mind, he resolves himself to survive. Even if that means leaving the goddess in front of him.

Swallowing his hesitation, he surreptitiously gets up from the ground. With as less sound as possible, he creeps into one of the side halls of the courtyard. He can still hear the battle going on behind him; with a heavy heart, he swiftly looks back one more time—

And he finally disappears into the darkness of the side hall before they figure out that he has gone away.

It does not take him long to find his beloved friend.

Or more appropriately, his friend does not take long to find him.

Although the dragon has lost its ability to fly, his jet-black color helps him camouflage into the darkness so that he can easily escape from enemies. He never shows himself unless he wants to be seen, which is why it is during sundown when Hiccup gets out of his hiding place in one of the palaces to venture the nearby forest. As he has predicted, Toothless shows up beside him, nudging his hands.

"I missed you, too bud," he murmurs as he scratches the dragon's head. Toothless smiles appreciatively. "Where should we hide you, buddy? I think the Trappers have gone, so we can stay here." Hiccup looks around again to look for a place to rest.

The dragon seems to have other plans, though.

"You want to stay someplace else?"

Toothless takes Hiccup's arm into his mouth, dragging him back to the direction of the palace. Hiccup is hesitant, but the dragon seems adamant, sniffing the air around the area to determine which direction they should go.

With the cover of the night, he and his friend venture on into the palace complex, which he realizes is a geologically active area, centered around a series of natural hot springs, which he surmised could provide soothing warm baths even during the middle of winter. They have already passed by around four pools earlier, and he guesses that there could be more around the area. Other than the hot springs, there are also numerous plum blossom trees and nearby pavilions dotting the complex.

Toothless leads him on, and he follows suit, knowing full well that his friend knows what he wants. He covers their tracks, just in case, considering the occasional guards patrolling the area. Finally, Toothless stops just beside a huge hall.

Hearing noises from inside the edifice, he and Toothless hide behind some bushes. A procession of attendants march from the building towards the next hall, which is further up from where they came from. Once they were out of sight, Hiccup and Toothless emerge from their hiding spot to inspect the hall.

"You want to go in here?" Hiccup asks, to which Toothless gurgles as a positive response.

 _Five-Room Hall of Divine Beauty_ , the label above the entrance indicates.

"What's in here that you want to try?"

Toothless nudges the doors as an answer, and Hiccup cautiously follows him in, looking around them to check if there is anyone else in proximity. They swiftly close the doors once inside. He knows that someone important must live in the hall as soon as he steps in, judging by the elaborateness of the designs on the walls and ceilings, as well as the number of glazed lanterns and beaded curtains in the quarters.

Toothless leads him to a nearby set of double doors.

He cautiously walks towards the double doors that lead to the room inside, hoping that they were open. Thanking the gods that they were indeed unsecured, he and his dragon walk inside a spacious sleeping chamber with a draped grand bed on one side. There are several closets, a study table, as well as an array of weapons on the walls.

Toothless nudges his hand, and he looks down to meet his gaze. The dragon points to another set of double doors on the other side of the chambers, and he immediately crosses the room to get to the other side.

They are greeted by a spring pool in the middle of a spacious room. It occurs to him that the structure must have been built around the hot spring to accommodate the noble who lived in it. Glossy white marble was used to shape the natural pool to resemble that of a crabapple, with steps on either side of the pool for easy access. Steam continuously emanates from the pond, and petals on its surface prevent him from seeing the its depth. The room itself is lavishly decorated and draped in curtains of fabric and beads, while lanterns and several candles around it provide for light. On the far end of the chambers is a twelve-panel folding screen, adorned with a painting of several plum blossoms.

The dragon immediately dives into the hot spring, splashing into its warm surface.

"Toothless!" Hiccup berates in a half-whisper. "You can't do that, we don't own this place. Besides, you're cold blooded; you don't need the heat!" Toothless only rolls his eyes in defiance.

He is about to drag the dragon off the pool when approaching footsteps alert him of a group of people getting nearer. He gestures for Toothless to get out of the pool, which the dragon instantly does, wagging off the petals and water off his body. They instantly dive behind the folding screen to hide themselves.

In ultimate discretion, he slows down his breathing so that he wouldn't be heard as the double doors leading into the room burst open. He hears it shut close after another procession of feet storm inside the bathing chambers.

"What is the meaning of this? Why are there several petals about?"

Hiccup's eyes widen as he hears that distinctly strong female voice. This was the maiden from earlier!

"Forgive us,Your Highness," one of the aides murmur meekly. "We have been careless in preparing your bathing chamber. Please let us fix this for you."

He can hear the servants shuffling about, removing the mess that they made earlier. Thankfully, not one of them ventures near the folding screen. Being that her aides are fast workers, it does not take long for them to tidy the mess.

"Please let us disrobe you now, Your Highness."

Hiccup almost gags at the suggestion, urging himself to look at the ground—and not at the silhouette of a goddess being undressed that can be discerned through the opaque fabric of the folding screen. He can feel the heat rise on his neck, moving its way to his ears, and he is sure that he must look like a tomato at the moment should he be exposed to sunlight. Even Toothless looks at him in concern, eyes quizzical.

He tries to distract himself from the sound of rustling fabric and discarded robes, but the mental image of that maiden earlier—now _undressed_ —seems to be seared in his mind. Even the sound of splashing water as she settles herself in the hot spring pool is sending his senses to the verge of sanity, making his blood rush southward.

He must get out of here. Sooner rather than later.

"How was your first day back, Your Highness?" an attendant's voice distracts him.

"Uneventful," the maiden answers nonchalantly. "Unless you count the incident earlier in the Garden of Blossoms. A trespasser came in, bringing with him Trappers. Like they'd find a dragon beast nearby. I disposed of the Trappers, but the ingrate has gotten away."

"How odious!" another aide pipes in. "To be bombarded by an incident on the first day back from the War of the Fallen Dragon Beasts. Were you hurt, Your Highness?"

"Nothing I can't handle. The frontlines of the Dragon War are more dangerous than those Trappers. Besides, it's only fun if you get a scar out of it."

"Do you not wish to retire from war, Your Highness? Your older sisters have already been wed. And you might not have a marriage proposal if you show yourself to be stronger than a man. No man wants a stronger woman for his wife."

There is a tense silence for a moment.

"And what of it?" the maiden's voice sounds cold and cruel, almost deadly. "That is your opinion and I am choosing to ignore it. I do not need a husband. I only serve my State and the State alone."

He can almost hear the servant's whimper. "My apologies, Your Highness."

"How dare you," the maiden hisses in the same cold voice. "Never say that to me again. You are all dismissed."

Without another sound, Hiccup hears the ladies-in-waiting immediately stand up and cross the floor to exit the chambers. Silence reigns the room after the dismissal of the aides, with the sounds of the occasional flicking candles and splashing water interrupting the silence every now and then. He steadies his breathing.

"You can go out now."

Hiccup freezes at her voice, the implication behind her words boring into him. Did she just—is she talking to _him_?

"I said: out. NOW."

In a fraction of a second, he hears the swift removal of an object from its place and in the next second, he belatedly discovers a wooden pail flying past the air, hitting the wall above his body, and landing squarely on his head with a loud smack.

"Ow!" he cries out as he rubs his head. Toothless almost snickers at him, but he sends him a glare that silences the dragon.

"Get out of there if you don't want to die."

Before he puts up his hands in the air in defeat, he signals for Toothless to be as silent as possible, to which the dragon implicitly understands with a noiseless nod of the dragon's head. He slowly comes out of the folding screen with his hands raised and his head down. He breathes in a considerable amount of air before he looks up. When he does, his heart seemed to stop in his rib cage. Indeed, the maiden in the chamber was the same maiden he had met earlier.

Who was in the spring pool at the moment.

Who was in the spring pool at the moment, _naked_.

Who was in the spring pool at the moment, _naked_ and _wet_.

Oh, dragon gods above.

Her blonde hair is a damp mess of golden moonlight that spills down on her bare shoulders, framing her porcelain face perfectly. The candle light and the moonglow play erotically on the canvass of her skin, highlighting the smoothness of her body. She is fully submerged in the pool, but what skin that was exposed is glazed with water, droplets running in enticing rivulets down her neck towards the swell of her boso—

His face heats up at the mental image.

He would have complimented her, if she wasn't glaring so painfully at him with sapphire flames in her eyes. And if the blade of her _fu_ wasn't pointed directly at him in a deadly position ready to attack.

Somehow, getting beaten up by dragon Trappers seems like a better prospect than facing the wrath of a warrior in the middle of her bath.

Da-da-da, he's dead.

"Your Highness!" he exclaims in mock surprise, the awkwardness in his voice evident. "Hey. Yeah, hi Your Highness. Hi. Your Highness."

"You!" she cries out as soon as she recognizes him. "You're that ingrate brat from earlier! What are you doing in my bathing chambers? You pervert!"

"I'm not—" he struggles to find the right words that could explain himself—because what man just shows up inside the bathing chambers of a beautiful woman without an intent to peek? And it's not like he can blame Toothless either. "Look, I didn't mean to come here; I didn't even know you owned this place! I mean no harm—

"—You dare speak to me! Did you come here to spy on me—

"Of course not!" the words spill out of his mouth before he can stop himself. He is mortified; never has he thought of such indecency even when he was given his own harem, and it compels him to move closer to her in a misguided attempt to prove his innocence. She pokes her blade at him in retaliation, but he does not back down. "I swear—"

"I ought to have your neck slit open. Guards!"

She was about to shout louder, he realizes, and he immediately closes in on her so that he could stop her. She continues to jab her weapon at him which he expertly evades, given his background in defending himself at least. He jumps into the pool when he tries to take leverage of the axe's handle, the spring water soaking his robes until the fabric clung to his skin. They try to wrestle the weapon out of each other's grasp, until he manages to yank it towards himself, the force sending the maiden unbalanced and falling towards him. They end up clashing towards each other, the collision less than gentle—or uncomfortable. He can feel the softness of her bust press against the planes of his chest at the impact, making them both freeze.

He chances a glance at her, and he stares into the depths of blue pools that are her eyes.

He realizes that she is even more beautiful up close, and his breath gets caught in his throat at their proximity. His gaze falls on her slightly parted lips, which are plump and pink and just so _so_ alluring and tempting.

She strengthens her hold on the weapon all of a sudden, snapping him from the trance and prompting him to pull harder. With one strong move, he throws the weapon away from them, the axe landing gracelessly in a loud crack on the floor. It does not stop her from assaulting him, however, opting to attack him with fists and punches. With effort, he engineers to hold both of her wrists to immobilize her actions. But then again, her mouth proves to be the biggest problem.

"Guards! Guards!" she repeatedly calls out no matter how hard he tries to keep her shut. With one hand, he holds both of her wrists and with the other, he tries to cover her mouth. She bites into his flesh in retaliation, and he has no choice but to retrieve it back to assuage its pain.

"Let me go, you son of a half-troll, rat-eating munge bucket!" the girl swears when he still wouldn't let go of her hands. "Get out! Guards!"

There was no other choice.

He had to do it.

Without even thinking if what he would do would save his life or endanger it further, just to keep her from shouting, he leans in—and _kisses_ her.

* * *

 **{END OF I}**

* * *

 **Notes:**

Hour of the Goat – 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

Hou Gong/Imperial Chinese harem system – a management of the inner court for imperial succession, which ranked heirs according to the prominence of their mothers in addition to their strict birth order. A simple translation/summary of the hierarchy of the three ranks would be: Empress, consorts, and concubines.

Gu - a venom-based poison associated with cultures of south China

Divine City of Berk State (Entrance Gate of Supreme Tranquility, Hall of Supreme Tranquility, Great Marble Carriageway, etc.) - based on the Forbidden City and the Hall of Supreme Harmony

Astrid's Palace - based on Huaqing palace; her pool is based on the Huating Pool/Guifei Pond

Credits to the Tumblr blog of Ziseviolet for the resources for all the garments in the story

Heads up. I'm going to be out of town for the rest of the week, so it might take time for me to upload the second part. Please have patience for the second part of this and I hope to see you all next time! :)


	2. the dragon throne

**_Rating:_** _strong T_

 ** _Disclaimer:_** _I own nothing._

 ** _Warnings:_** _obligatory Bathtub Scene_

 _ **Pre-Story Notes:**_ _Ever seen A Chinese Ghost Story? Episode 22 of Empress Ki? Basically every KDrama or CDrama with obligatory shower scene or bathtub scene with lots of petals? Just kidding, I think this is pretty tame. You can handle it. X)_

 _Again, many thanks to_ _ **Introvert-Dragon**_ _for the Beta, and both to_ _ **Kelvin Wang**_ _and_ _ **Bramble Sheep**_ _for fact checking and additional feedback!_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Story Playlist:**

The Heaven Song (Empress of China OST)

Becoming a Geisha (Memoirs of a Geisha OST)

Three Lives, Three Worlds by Jason Zhang (Three Lives, Three Worlds, Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms OST)

* * *

 **{II.}**

* * *

.

.

.

.

.

Without even thinking if what he would do would save his life or endanger it further, just to keep her from shouting, he leans in—and _kisses_ her.

The maiden gives an incoherent cry of confusion, flailing her arms even more, but her attempts are rendered worthless when he grips her hands even tighter, pulling her soft body closer to him. A few more seconds pass when she was fighting back with all her might and he was holding her to suppress her strength, until she gradually calms down and dare he think it—kisses him back.

He does not know how it has transitioned from a desperate attempt at making her close her mouth to a feverish dance of demanding lips seeking each other's caress. He ends up easing his hold on her, her hands grabbing the collars of his robes to bring him closer to her. His own right hand falls on her lower back, gently pressing on the softness of her unrobed flesh, while his other hand cups the back of her neck to keep her in place as their lips dance together. He can feel almost all of her even when significant parts of their bodies are submerged underwater; with only the thin, wet fabric of his robes to separate them, he can feel the heat of her body, the desperation exuded by her ragged breaths and his own willingness to answer the hunger in their lip-lock.

When she grants him access to the inside of her mouth after running the tip of his tongue over her lower lip as a sign of permission, a new torture blooms anew in the lower part of his belly. His senses are now completely engulfed by her—of how her lips tasted like fresh saccharine syrup, of how her chest is so much closer now that she is pressing so frantically against him, and of how she smelled like fresh plum blossoms that bloomed in the middle of winter. The kiss is potent enough to intoxicate him, and he is drunk with the taste, feel and scent of her.

"Your Highness!"

The voices outside jolt them out of their trance, immediately tearing them apart. Panic sinks in his gut as the gravity of his actions slaps him; the punishment for seducing the Crown Prince in the State of Berk includes twenty lashes, branding on the face and permanent exile, and he wonders if the same punishments are applicable in this State.

"Whatever you do, don't say anything," the maiden whispers to him in a determined voice when they face each other. Her eyes are piercing, cold flames that clashed against his forest-green stare. "And don't breathe."

"Wh—What—"

His words remain unspoken when she crashes her lips unto his. Her body pushes him down so that he is totally submerged in her pool, her lips and her grip making sure that he stays put. Then her lips leave his own just as he hears the doors to her chamber burst open.

He immediately misses her touch, but he wills himself to concentrate on _not breathing_ and at the same time _not dying_ because heaven knows what's going to happen to him once they find out what he's done to their princess. He looks away from the direction of her body because it's the right thing to do, even though he's so tempted to see if her skin looked as soft and flawless as they felt.

He can still hear even when he's underneath the surface, but it takes time for him to understand what's been going on. He can hear the maiden's beratement at her guards, something about 'taking so long' and 'snakes'. The conversation takes longer than expected, and he struggles, trying to gasp for air.

She dives in all of a sudden, reaching for his face to give him another kiss. Despite his lips being sealed shut, she manages to exhale air into his mouth once she found an opening, and she goes up just as soon as she transfers the air. The ministration continues after a few more times, until she taps his shoulder to signal getting out of the water.

The blade of her _fu_ greets his throat as soon as he emerges from the surface. He hasn't even settled himself, and now the fierce warrior has already set off on him. He raises his hands in defeat.

"Don't misunderstand, stranger," she breathes coldly, grip firm on the handle of her retrieved axe. Her eyes pierce his skin, as if she is trying to inflict pain on him with her gaze. "I sent my guards away only so that I can personally slit your throat and cut out your tongue."

"So you could feast on my cold lips?" he asks amusedly, a hint of cockiness of his voice. "And here I thought you enjoyed that kiss."

"I did not," she insists, almost fuming. The rosy tint on her cheeks give her away, though. "I don't enjoy kissing fishbones."

"Whatever you say, then," he shrugs. "I know you can't handle all… _this_." He gestures at himself, all inexistent muscles and noodle arms. She almost laughs at him, but she holds in her mirth.

"How dare you pull that on me!" she accuses instead. "I shall make sure you won't be able to do such an atrocious thing again!"

With a swift movement of his hand, he grabs the handle again and tugs her towards him. He stops the force just as soon as her face is significantly closer to his, their noses almost brushing. Her eyes are so close to his own now that he surmises that he can count the individual lashes on her eyes. Her breath tickles his lips in a tempting bait of another battle of tongues.

"Do you want me to prove you wrong?" he whispers in a low voice.

She gulps audibly.

It does not take her long to regain her composure, however, using her leg to kick him away from her to break the eye contact. "That's for the kiss!" she hollers as she spins her axe away from him. He lets go of the handle in an instant. Even before he recovers, a punch hits him squarely on the chest. "And that's for everything else!" She raises her arms to strike another blow with her axe.

Suddenly, his sight is invaded by a rush of black, scaled yet sleek, monstrous and elegant. A dragon's figure settles itself in the middle of the pool, sending splashes of water and petals everywhere once again. The intrusion propels them both to either side of the pool, with a hissing dragon in between. Toothless turns to the maiden, baring his fangs and steadying to attack if needed.

The maiden freezes at the sight for a moment, clutching the axe tighter, still in a raised position. "A dragon god?"

"NO! No. It's okay!" Hiccup tries to assure the dragon, moving forward so that he stood between them. "It's okay... she's a friend. It's okay." Patting the dragon as soothingly as he can, Hiccup manages to calm him down though the dragon god remains hostile and seething.

He turns to the maiden. "Take the weapon away. You scared him."

"I scared him?!" she repeats disbelievingly. Realizing what he had just said, she narrows her eyes. "Who is _him_?"

He opens his mouth to answer her, but Toothless starts to nip his hands and arms to get away from him. "Stop doing that, _Wú yá_!"

" _Toothless_?" She repeats disbelievingly again. "You're calling a dragon god Toothless? Or is he…" she looks over at the dragon again, an odd mix of cautiousness, curiosity and confusion on her face. "Is he a fallen celestial dragon who has become a malevolent hunting monster? Has he become a demon beast?"

"Yeah, he's a fallen celestial dragon," Hiccup absentmindedly answers as he entertains Toothless' nudging which is slowly turning into a playful game. The tension disappears from his countenance. "But no, I just shot him down."

"You shot down a dragon god?"

"Well. Long story. It was nighttime, see, as all demon raids go. And I was so desperate to prove to my Sta—my _clan_ , I mean—that I could also fight with fallen dragons as they can. One of my cousins repeatedly bullies me because of my lack of strength, you see—"

"You shot down a dragon god?"

"Yes. Now, pay attention. I made an invention to shoot down the demons, then. Took me a lot of time in the library and the blacksmith's place, really. At first my _Lǎoshī_ didn't want me to go and told me to man over the forge, but me being the reckless little shit that I am went to the battlefield anyway. And I brought my invention, too! I aimed for something to shoot at then—"

"You _shot down_ a _dragon god_?"

Hiccup turns to face her, slightly annoyed. "Can't believe a fishbone can do that? I told you that you can't handle all _this_."

"But he's a _dragon god_!" She emphasizes, and upon realizing the importance of Toothless, throws her _fu_ away. "A dragon god!" She hurries to clasp her hands together, attempting to mimic a standing kowtow despite being submerged in a pool. "Please forgive your lowly servant, Great Dragon God!"

"Don't do that," Hiccup brushes her act away. "It's going to boost his ego."

"How dare you talk to a dragon god in such a manner?" she admonishes back, her blue eyes flashing in anger. Toothless snickers at him, sticking out his tongue playfully to tease him.

"See what you've done?" Hiccup mutters, rolling his eyes. He turns to Toothless to give him an unamused look. The dragon starts to lick him, though. "Now, now, don't you dare give me _that_. You know that doesn't wash out! Yeah, Yeah, thank you for nothing, you useless reptile."

"How can you talk to him so casually?" the maiden murmurs in observation, easing. She narrows her eyes at him again. "Who are you, really?"

"I told you, I'm a poet," Hiccup shrugs.

"But you're favored by a dragon god! You can't be so lowly."

"Favored? What?" he questions, scandalized. "Heavens, no. Didn't you hear what I said? I shot him down. Thought he had become a mindless demon. Don't you see that I'm being punished for that? I've lost—I've lost my clan and my title. And so much more…"

Hiccup pauses, looking into Toothless' green eyes that reflected his own. Now that he thinks about it, if given the chance to do it again, he would have done the same—if only Toothless will be with him again. He doesn't see it as a punishment, but more of a redirection in his life, a redirection that he honestly welcomes. If he must choose between his State and the dragon, he'd choose Toothless in a heartbeat.

"It's not that I've lost them, honestly. And maybe it's not a punishment," he says, his voice a bit more somber. His eyes are still fixed on Toothless. "It's more convenient that I've gone, knowing that it would be a win-win situation for everyone. I keep Toothless company now that he's being hunted by faithless Trappers. I have to protect him; it's my fault after all. So I left my home, my titles and my name. I do not wish to dishonor my family once they find out what I've done. I mean, I don't wish to _further_ dishonor them. Not that I'm anyone to be proud of in the first place. And it's too late to go back…"

"You seem to have suffered a lot," she comments pensively. "What do you plan to do now?"

"Go south. Or further east maybe," he answers absentmindedly. "Cross the seas as soon as possible and hope to the heavens that the land on the other side won't be as messy as the States right now. Find a hiding place for Toothless where the Trappers can't get to him."

"How many days will it take you to reach the seas?"

"Months, years maybe. I'm just hoping that Toothless won't be caught."

"I see." She pauses again, thoughtful. When she spoke again, her voice is calmer and more courteous, though it doesn't lose its assertiveness. "I'd like to propose a truce, then, in honor of the dragon god. The presence of dragons has always been a blessing to my family. Other than the fallen beasts, dragons have always been an auspicious force for our clan. I'd like to offer provisions and clothing to the dragon god for his travels, as well as rest for him. The dragon god can stay as long as he can if he wishes to."

"Wait, the dragon gets the food and the clothes and the rest?" Hiccup questions.

"He is a god after all, well respected and worshipped," the maiden answers fairly. "You will be spared from your atrocities also, of course. And that's only because the dragon god seems to have a liking to you."

"So… no beheadings? Whips? Branding?"

"The whipping can be negotiated," she thinks out loud. "The branding can be lessened. The beheading I can remove. The castration, on the other hand… I haven't forgotten what you've done, by the way."

"Oh, dragon gods, I had hoped you'd make it worse," he murmurs sarcastically.

"Are you always this exasperating?"

"Only for you," he replies in a teasing tone. "Seriously, though, we might need to leave as soon as possible. There could be more Trappers around and I'd rather not endanger Toothless."

"So long as the dragon god is fine with that," she tells him politely to which Toothless enthusiastically nods. "But I will call for the Royal Physician to have you and the dragon god checked tomorrow. Anyway, it is almost the Hour of the Pig, during which time my attendants shall come back for me. I shall order any provisions the dragon god would need."

True to her words, the attendants soon came back for her. After a double take, all of them kowtow down as soon as they catch sight of the dragon.

"Swear your silence of this event," the maiden commands them. "No one shall know that a dragon god has blessed us on this auspicious night."

"We swear, Your Highness," all of them chant together.

"Good. Now go and prepare the last room in this Hall and make sure that the room is as warm as mine. Then prepare a dinner feast worthy for a prince, as much food supplies that can be carried by a horse, and fetch robes and cloaks for winter—"

"—and fish," Hiccup interjects, "lots and lots of fish."

"A barrel of fish, then," the maiden adds. "And bring the medicinal items for wounds and bruises. Nurse this stranger whose name is…"

" _Xī Kǎ Pǔ_ ," he says without thinking.

" _Hiccup_?" She raises an eyebrow.

"My parents thought it would frighten off the _mogwai_. Like my charming twig demeanor wouldn't do that."

"Frightening off trolls and other monsters. Right," she mutters offhandedly. She addresses her handmaidens again, "As soon as you get back, tend to the wounds of Master Hiccup. Make sure that he eats enough for the night. Handle the dragon god carefully as well and ensure that he is pampered well enough."

"Yes, Your Highness," they murmur and leave to get her requests.

"That was too much, don't you think?" Hiccup asks her as soon as her attendants leave.

"Nothing is too much for the dragon god," she murmurs, glancing at Toothless. Said dragon coos at her, and she reaches out an arm to pat him, confident despite her nakedness.

"How can we thank you for your kindness?" he replies, clasping his hands together and bowing to her. He keeps a healthy distance between them as courtesy.

"I can think of a lot," she smirks at him.

"I can sing with the _guzheng_ for you," he offers with a crooked smile. "But fair warning: my singing voice would only invite the most beautiful of birds—the vulture—because some court jester would surely murder me for being off-key."

"Compose a poem for me then," she counters. "A poem I can write on my skirt. A poem that would remember me by."

"Your skirt?" Hiccup asks with curiosity. "What an uncommon place to write a poem. Why your skirt?"

"The description of me should be like the length of my skirt: long enough to cover my qualities and short enough to make other ladies envious."

"I see," he murmurs thoughtfully. Giving her another crooked smile, he says, "then I shall do my best, Princess…?"

" _Astrid_."

"A—Astr… Astrid?" He tries her name on his tongue, unused to it.

"Yes, Astrid," she confirms. "It's not my real name, of course, but I have been called that a lot ever since I was called the same by a foreigner."

"I see." Hiccup smiles again at her, more relaxed and genuine this time, now that he knew her name. "I shall do my best, Princess Astrid."

* * *

Her attendants come back swiftly, bringing with them her requests. They beckon for him and Toothless to come out of the pool, assisting them as they resurfaced. Hiccup felt like he was back in the Imperial Palace again, being unnecessarily pampered by his aides as they helped him disrobe and get dressed. They lead both of them to the sleeping chambers on the opposite wing of the Hall, while some of them remain to assist the princess.

With quick skill work, the handmaidens moved to undress him and dry him off. Although he's had experience with women given that he's had his Imperial Harem since he was sixteen, he still feels uncomfortable being undressed by them; so much so that he forces to take the robes from them and independently dresses himself up behind a folding screen. They are able to force him out from the folding screen, nevertheless—(a habit he surmises they've taken from their princess)—and immediately asks him to take off his robes—(what is it with this place and their preference for nakedness?)—so that they can tend to his bruises. He allows them to partially undress him.

Toothless seems to be enjoying himself well enough, though, gobbling up the barrel of fishes offered to him. In no time, the dragon curls up on a mat especially made for him in between two lanterns.

The doors open and Astrid steps in, now dried off and dressed in a simple but flowing blue _ruqun_ set, with transparent sleeves and crane designs on the hem. A part of her blonde hair is tied in a low bun behind her neck, secured by a pair of embellished jade _chai_ , while the rest of her hair tumbles down past her shoulders as blonde fringes frame her face. Her attendants, including the one tending his wounds, follow her as she settles in front of the sleeping Toothless to kowtow.

"Please accept our offers of gratitude to your presence," she murmurs with devotion as her servants place packed food and thick robes beside the dragon. They perform a few more rituals, after which she dismisses her attendants.

"I'll tend to your wounds," she announces as soon as her attendants leave. She faces him as she bends down and settles herself in front of him. "Remove your robes."

"Wh—What?"

She appears as nonchalant as ever. "I can't tend to your wounds if you don't remove them."

Hiccup tries to scramble away, clutching his robes to his chest. "What do you know about wound tending?"

"More than you do," she assures him, seemingly uninterested. She reaches out for his wrists to pry them away. "I've been in a number of wars since I was fourteen. I've tended to the wounded a lot of times."

"Is there any way to tend to them without getting naked?"

"I won't be able to dress your wounds properly if they remain." She inches closer to him, slightly more aggressive this time. "And well, you've seen me naked. Almost. I really don't see why you're being so fussy about it."

"It was totally unintentional!" he almost screams as he jumps on the bed, arranging his robes to make it look more decent. He doesn't want her to see just how un-manly he could be, what with his frail body and noodle arms. "And it's not like I haven't dealt with these before; they're totally fine."

"You protest too much," she complains as she hovers over him on the bed, straddling his hips and reaching for the collars, all sense of appropriateness gone. "Just. Un—dress!"

Hiccup looks away when she successfully pries his hands from himself and opens his robes. Goosebumps erupt on his flesh as soon as air hits his bare chest. Despite the coolness of the winter, heat rises in his gut under her scrutiny of him, the fairness of his skin slowly being replaced by pink patches that ran from his neck to the tips of his ears. It isn't until the Princess removes herself from his form to take the wet towels, salve and other herbs on the medicine tray did he ease down.

She begins to wash the bruises that has accumulated on his body since he has started on his journey, muttering a soft apology when she passes by the injuries that she has given him earlier. She chances a glance at him at the same time he looks at her, and they both look away in a hurry, the memory of their kiss earlier seared in his mind. Her touch on him is soft and gentle— _caring_ even—and so unlike the demanding and feverish grip she held him in not two hours ago.

"So what's your story?" he says, trying to distract himself.

"My story?" she asks, raising a brow. "Why does it matter to you? It's none of your business."

"Just trying to get to know you. And I'm pretty sure you're as excited as I am with a stranger showing up in your bathing chambers and now sharing your room. Anything I should know about you?"

"Well, you know that I'm a princess," she recounts as she starts dressing his wounds. "I'm the third daughter of the King of this state, with a foreign courtesan as a mother. She died in childbirth, though, and I was raised with my older brothers. All of my older siblings have already married, as well as some of my younger ones. According to my attendants, I should get married soon so that I don't end up an old maid."

"Do you not have suitors?" Hiccup asks, partly curios and partly hopeful. Not that he has any chances with her. "Surely a maiden as noble as you already has proposals."

"I do," she says indifferently. "But marriage is the last thing on my mind right now; I am a general who serves my State, and I'll do my best to protect them with all my might. What about you?"

"Other than me being a poet who accidentally shot down a dragon god and is now on the run?" She nods her head. "Well, I come from a good family, I guess. It's from a State that's far away from here. I'm not good at martial arts or weapon handling, which was why I turned to poetry and weapon designing. It didn't sit well with my _Baba_ , see, since we come from a long line of martial artists. But despite that, I wanted his approval; so, I made inventions and all that. It backfired, though, now that I'm taking care of an injured dragon. And I left home because I didn't want to dishonor them for what I've done. I wanted to go back, but my clan has already fallen apart. Someone stronger has taken over the family."

"I see," she murmurs, focused on his bandages. "And you're just letting it be? Why don't you go back and try to make everything right again?"

He shrugs. She ignores him, tying up the wrappings and helping him get dressed after it. Once she ties up his robes in place, she looks up at him, her face dangerously close to his.

His breath hitches again as he sees her smile. Just when he thinks that the earlier events will repeat itself, she retreats and bows to him.

"Good night, Master Hiccup."

Then she leaves him to settle in her chambers.

* * *

Princess Astrid visits Toothless early the next day, paying her respects to the dragon god. She had come in so quietly and so swiftly that she almost catches him off guard. She only spares him a glance once—it's short but heated, sending his heart into a frenzy—and he instantly looks away before she kowtows in front of Toothless. Then she leaves him.

The Royal Physician arrives after the Princess, checking on his injuries and on Toothless. Hiccup surmises that the Princess has also demanded of him the same oath of silence, judging by his carefulness of him. He is even more careful and dutiful to the dragon, which earns an eyeroll from Hiccup when Toothless flaunts it. The Physician recommends for Hiccup to take at least five days' rest, prohibiting any strenuous activities. He has no plans to follow, of course, and he has already planned for their escape, but the Princess stops him and the dragon in the afternoon before they can even get away.

"You still owe me," she hisses at him, brandishing her _fu_ at him again. "And I shall not let the dragon god go starving again because of you. You shall stay here until the Royal Physician advises otherwise."

Thus, against his will, he stays in her complex for a few more days.

His interactions with the Princess have been short during this time. She visits only for Toothless early in the morning and late at night, paying her respects. She spends a lot of time outside the Palace grounds to probe their domain, which the Maids say includes ensuring that the villages are well-supplied for the winter (and maybe a few beatings here and there). The length of her journeys usually varies, but what time she has left with daylight is spent in the courtyard, with her practicing her skills when she's not resting. On the other hand, he spends most of his time in the library, designing a new tailfin for Toothless and trying to see if he can figure out where to go to next in his travels. Their meals are eaten in relative peace in their own chambers.

Hiccup borrows a nearby forge in the complex and starts working on the tailfin with what available resources he has. He eventually fashions a tailfin for the dragon during one night, which earns him a few more days in the Palace ("Strenuous activities would include metallurgy, Master Hiccup!" the Royal Physician tells sternly the next day). When the Princess is out, he ventures into the forest to test the tailfin on Toothless, and he makes adjustments once he figures out any flaw.

Try as he might to deny it, he longs to spend time with her when she's not around. He tries to figure out her routine every day, waking up early in the morning to greet her on time and staying up late at night to join her in her worship of Toothless. He spends the time with Toothless when she is not around, but when she is, he looks for a possible excuse to be near her. He chances upon the Lotus Pavilion near the Garden of Blossoms where she practices her skills—by accident, _of course_ —and he spends a lot of his time reading and designing there, with Toothless curled up beside him.

(Of course, he's reading. His eyes absolutely do _not_ wander off to where she is, observing her graceful movements carefully. Not even when she catches him staring at her.)

Despite his best efforts to remain discrete, the Princess picks up his preferences and allows her maids to set up a table with books, parchments and a few other instruments in the pavilion for his resources.

He'd play the _guzheng_ at times and use an ancient tune that has been taught to him by his father. The first time the Princess hears him play, he thinks that she freezes for a second, but she resumes her training in the next, and he does not know if she _understands_. He does not know if she is familiar with the song, but he has never played the tune of _Feng Qiu Huang_ for someone else before.

She joins him in the pavilion at times when she is not training. She usually demands a round of _xiangqi_ when she is not playing with Toothless, though it usually ends up in an endless barrage of rematches when she loses. He'd let her win at times just to assuage her anger for him, though he knows that she suspects him of going easy on her.

"I'm not letting you win," he lies as he stares into her eyes one time, and he half-wishes that he could stay like this forever with her. "I'm just… distracted."

"Distracted?" she raises a brow at him, and he does not know how even such a simple act would look so pretty on her.

"Yes," he drawls out. "You have very pretty plum blossoms here."

She soon forgets it when they play the next round of _xiangqi_. He lets her win the next few rounds, just so that he could see her smile again.

When the Royal Physician clears him for travel the next day, he does not know if he is happy or distraught.

* * *

She appears on the Lotus Pavilion the night before the day he plans to leave.

"I now want my payment."

Hiccup looks up from the stack of books that he is arranging on the table. "The poem?" He does not expect her to be here, not when it is almost the Hour of the Dog, and thus the time for her nightly bath.

"Of course," she replies, raising her chin. She is an ethereal figure on the steps of the pavilion, the moonglow and the light from the glazed lanterns around them playing on her skin as it did the first night he sees her in her bath. He moves the table to the side to accommodate her, and she gathers her skirts, kneeling to spread out the fabric on the floor.

He stands up to collect the calligraphy tools, pouring ink on the inkstone and grabbing hold of the brush. He begins to compose on her skirt after dipping the brush into the inkstone.

.

.

.

 _Her splendor made a city fall with just one look;_

 _A second glance doomed a grand empire to ruin._

 _Soft and demure like others, she can be mistook,_

 _But her winter endurance remains unbroken._

.

.

.

He reads his composition to her after he finishes writing, gently setting the brush on the table. He looks up at her for her validation. To his disappointment, she remains indifferent.

"I've read better," she shrugs, trying to look unimpressed. "This poem cannot even compare to any of the stanzas in the poem for Consort _Yang Guifei_."

"The poem composed by the poet _Bai Juyi_?" Hiccup asks in earnest. "The Song of Everlasting Regret?"

She nods her head, getting up from her kneeling position. She paces the pavilion and looks toward the moon, and then she begins to recite. Her voice is yearning and reverent, although arguably fond and soft.

" _The Emperor of China longed for a beauty able to topple the empire._

 _Despite many years of reign, he could not fulfill his desire._

 _Meanwhile, a lass in the Yang family had reached puberty._

 _As she was raised deep in her boudoir, no one knew her beauty._

 _Her heavenly glamour could not be concealed forever._

 _One day she was chosen to entertain the Emperor._

 _When she turned and smiled, the coquetry created was tremendous,_

 _Rendering all concubines of the six palaces lusterless_."

Hiccup blinks at her. "I can compose a song for you as well, though I do not wish for you to hear me sing. And that poem also reminds me of you, you know."

Her head snaps back at him, the longing in her countenance gone. "But do you deny the inadequacy of this payment?"

Hiccup shrugs, defeated. "Even if I affirm it, I've nothing else to give you. I've nothing to my name."

"I will still demand something else in return," she says with a finality that he can't refuse. She paces towards him, hypnotizing blue eyes fixed on him as she inched closer, her gait slow but determined. "And I'm sure you can provide it to me."

"What is it?" he asks, holding her gaze and almost losing himself in her eyes of blue.

"Another kiss," she whispers, leaning in on him.

He also leans in in reflex, his hands sliding down her waist as her fingers grab the collars of his robes. He closes his eyes, reveling in the sight and scent of her. Then its inappropriateness hits him, and he turns away in the last minute.

"What's wrong?" she asks, confused.

"It's inappropriate," he answers, letting go of her and stepping back to maintain distance. "We're not engaged."

"Didn't stop you before, did it?" she challenges. "Or is it that you find me undesirable?"

"Heavens, no," he admonishes, mortified. "You're the most beautiful maiden I've ever met, and that's saying a lot, considering that I've visited harems and brothels."

"Then what is it?" She has never faltered in her look, but in that moment, a hint of uncertainty crosses her features.

"I'm…" he starts, but his hesitation prevents him from saying more. Finally, he says, "I'm not worthy of you."

She blinks at him. "What?"

"What if you find out that I was useless?" He places more distance between them, stepping back from her. He paces around the pavilion, determinedly not looking in her direction. "Remember when I told you that I left my home because I did not want to dishonor them? The truth is that I ran away because I am a coward. I—I couldn't face them when I shot down a dragon god instead of a demon beast. And when I went back, someone else had already invaded my lands, and I was too much of a coward to face him. I… I am a failure to my clan, to my people."

"It's a mess, then," Astrid says regretfully, her voice surprisingly calm and understanding. "You must feel horrible. You've lost everything. Your father, your clan, your titles..."

"Thank you for summing that up," he murmurs despondently. "Why couldn't I have gone back and saved my people when they needed me the most? It would have been better for everyone."

She nods in response. "The rest of us would have done it. So why didn't you?"

"I don't know," he answers, shaking his head. "I couldn't."

"That's not an answer."

He turns to her, almost annoyed. "Why is this so important to you all of a sudden?"

She raises her chin, defiant but understanding. "Because I want to remember what you say, right now."

"Oh, for the love of—I was a coward! I was weak! I wouldn't dare face a madman who controls a dragon!"

"You said ' _wouldn't'_ that time."

"Whatever! I wouldn't!" he exclaims in frustration "...I wouldn't go back because my dragon looked as frightened as I was. I looked at him, and I saw myself."

"I bet your people must be really frightened now," Astrid tells him. "What are you going to do about it?"

"Eh, probably something stupid."

"Good," she nods, "but you've already done that."

"Then maybe something crazy?" he suggests. "Facing a madman and saving my people from fallen demon beasts with an injured dragon and a toothpick fishbone. That doesn't sound bad at all."

"That's more like it!" she announces, grinning at him. Her smile is neither coy nor condescending; it's genuine and bright and so innocent that it's hard to believe that she was a general-princess.

How?

How can he keep up with her? She is both a perfect goddess given by the heavens to bless humanity, and a bewitching sorceress sent to torment mankind. He does not think that he will ever deserve even her gaze.

He thinks to himself, as a joke, that in order to do that, he has to do something crazy. Like going back and reclaiming his titles and saving his people from bewitched dragons.

Then it happens.

He looks at her again, gazing fondly upon the serenity of her grin. Upon her smile he resolves upon himself that he'd change for her—that he'd be someone worth her while.

.

.

.

 _To prove his worth to the plum blossom's affection_

 _He was going back to his roots to take a chance._

 _He will resort to training and cultivation_

 _Until he can become a dragon worth her glance._

.

.

.

A punch suddenly hits him on the shoulder, snapping him out of his thoughts. He retracts, clutching his shoulder where her hit landed.

"I've just recently been cleared for travel, you know," he complains as he rubs his shoulder.

"That's for interrupting me in my bath," she declares, her haughtiness coming back.

"Is it always going to be like thi—"

He is cut off when she grabs the front of his robes, yanking him and pecking him shortly on his lips. She lets go just as fast as she grabs him, looking away, apologetic and _shy_. "And that's for—for everything else."

He smiles down on her in delight. She suddenly takes her _chai_ from her hair, her tresses tumbling down in soft waves. She holds up the jade _chai_ , taking its double pins and forcing them apart. The hairpin snaps, and she thrusts one stick into his hand.

"Are you giving me—" he breathes, aghast; hairpins are only given to _lovers_ —lovers who are forced to part.

"Shut up and prepare for tomorrow," she tells him as she turns around exits the pavilion. She gives him one last fleeting look before she saunters into the direction of her Hall, excitement and hesitation evident in her gait.

"What are you looking at?" he admonishes the dragon who is sitting completely silent on one side of the pavilion but is giving him a knowing smirk.

He does not know what time it already is; it is already deep into the night when he decides on a plan to go back home and reclaim his State. He's going to go back and become a better version of himself, so that when they meet again, he'd be someone worthy of her.

He enters his chambers in complete silence and chances a glance again in her direction, smiling tenderly at her serene face. Grabbing a piece of parchment and a brush, he composes one last message to her. At the break of dawn, he wakes Toothless up and they exit the Palace, leaving one last glance at her Hall before they part.

When she wakes up in the morning, she finds her Palace cold, her guests for the winter having left her. A feeling of sadness engulfs her, until her sight lands upon a piece of parchment on her study, the calligraphy strokes belonging only to one person.

.

.

.

 _"The winds are desolate, and the fog is widespread_

 _While rain pours as the boundless snow tear me apart._

 _All these catastrophes I am willing to tread_

' _Til I become a dragon worthy of your heart."_

.

.

.

.

.

* * *

— **for the dragon throne ::}**

* * *

Even before she reaches the curtains, a black shadow slides forth from between the parting and rush past her, enveloping her in a warm embrace.

"Daughter!" Her father shouts in alarm; she can hear the rest gasp audibly.

"Toothless!" she exclaims as the dragon pounces on her, sending her to the ground. She assures her father that she is all right, her laugh erupting when the dragon licks her. She pats his head, scratching him behind his ears and feeling the cold scales under her touch. She notices that Toothless looks different, with more sophisticated contraptions and a saddle on his body and a tailfin to replace his missing tail.

The dragon drops a scroll from his mouth and nudges it towards her, and she picks it up from the ground. She opens the scroll, curious to know its contents. Her mouth almost drops at what she sees, recognizing a handwriting that she has memorized over the years. A handwriting that is unmistakably _his_.

.

.

.

 _The dragon's abode stands majestic proud and vast_

 _And gardens are said to fill the dragon's palace._

 _But high walls hide all and can make mystery last_

 _One wonders what lies behind such great elegance._

 _._

 _Behind the garden walls are flowers of all kind_

 _And the great dragon protects them as is his task._

 _A day will come when he shall have to choose his bride_

 _And for the flowers, there is none more they could ask._

 _._

 _The peony is noble, virtuous and wealthy;_

 _Bright, lucky and refined is the chrysanthemum;_

 _The camellia is beautiful, divine and timely;_

 _Which of these blossoms will the dragon bride become?_

 _._

 _The entire land knows of the dragon's little past;_

 _He was once a salamander, useless and weak._

 _He left his home to travel the world at long last_

 _For he was deemed unconventionally unique._

 _._

 _In his lengthy travels the salamander found_

 _The sweet scent of a flower blooming in winter._

 _In her stance of perseverance, he was spellbound_

 _Her beauty was unparalleled like no other._

 _._

 _Her splendor made a city fall with just one look;_

 _A second glance doomed a grand empire to ruin._

 _Soft and demure like others, she can be mistook,_

 _But her winter endurance remains unbroken._

 _._

 _To prove his worth to the plum blossom's affection_

 _He was going back to his roots to take a chance._

 _He will resort to training and cultivation_

 _Until he can become a dragon worth her glance._

 _._

 _"The winds are desolate, and the fog is widespread_

 _While rain pours as the boundless snow tear me apart._

 _All these catastrophes I am willing to tread_

' _Til I become a dragon worthy of your heart."_

.

.

.

It hits her.

Toothless, the handwriting—the Dragon Emperor who ran away from his home and who returned to save them from a great catastrophe…

Why hasn't she realized it sooner? All the clues were there for her to look—even after defeating the Dragon Madman, after the Dragon Emperor rose to power, he began courting her from far away. And she didn't mind him, partly due to her pride and partly due to her desire to be with the poet again. But he was there all along!

"You've finally arrived," a voice whispers behind her, nasal and boyish. With trembling hands, she clutches the scroll and slowly turns around.

The first time she's seen him, he was nothing more than a stick figure being beaten to the ground. He was handsome, yes, what with his messy auburn hair and deep, forest-green eyes, but what remained of his beauty was marred by destitution and frailty. But she did not deny his charm—the adorableness of his awkwardness, the curiosity in his quirks, the sincerity in his frustrations.

And the passion in his kisses.

She wonders if he is still the same even after being the Dragon Emperor.

A tall figure greets her, and she immediately recognizes the familiar mop of auburn hair, messy yet endearing on his chiseled face. His green eyes glint like emeralds, looking upon her with a fondness she hasn't seen in five years. He looks strikingly the same, but also surprisingly different.

He has become taller now, more mature and more respectable. His facial structure has sharpened, all angles and straight jawlines, littered with a faint stubble on the edges. The shoddy robes he once wore are now replaced by the luxurious set of golden _lóng páo_ , a long robe reaching the ankles with a circular opening for the neck. Intricate dragon designs adorn the garment, with a sea of elaborately patterned geometric designs and natural scenes. His topknot is held up by a golden _guan_ , with two pins to secure it in place, one of them being the pin she had given him five years prior.

He looks majestic and regal, and with the backdrop of the equally majestic dragon throne behind him—all high pedestals and gilded motifs on a grand chair covered behind golden curtains—he looks mighty and imposing.

But his crooked, innocent smile gives him away.

Everyone in the throne room kowtows again as soon as he appears. She can hear her father's voice urging her to do the same, and even the Head Eunuch's coaxing to show respect; but she is distracted at the moment and she pays them no heed, for his green gaze holds her in place and she is transfixed at his transformation.

When he reaches out to touch her cheek, all of her restraint breaks. She embraces him tightly despite everyone's horrified gasps at her audacity, clutching him tightly in her arms to make sure that he's real. Then just as fast as she holds him, she lets go of him again and sends a fist his way.

If the horrified gasps earlier were not shocking enough, the appalled shouts of everyone in the room at that moment were sure to send his father into a state of a mild heart attack. Or maybe send a consort fainting.

"That's for making me wait!" she shouts at the Dragon Emperor, ignoring everyone around her.

Hiccup laughs, waving away his attendants that have gathered around him. "You're as feisty as I have remembered you," he comments as he gets up on his feet, Toothless weaving his way beside him.

She hugs him when he stands up, burying her face in his chest. Her _huadian_ makeup might be destroyed at it, but it does not bother her a bit. "And this is for everything else."

Hiccup returns her embrace, cradling her in his arms tightly. When they let each other go, he reaches up to remove a hairpin. "And I think this belongs to you." He shows her the broken half of her _chai_ , and he carefully sets it in her bun so that both pieces of the hairpin are now together.

She smiles up at him.

"And now, I have a question for you, one that I have been longing to ask."

He motions for a servant to bring him brushes. She knows exactly what he wants as soon as her sight lands upon the set, and she carefully gathers her skirts like she did that one night five years ago. Kneeling down to spread out the fabric on the floor, she welcomes him with a small smile as he dips a brush in inkstone and begins to write on her skirt.

.

.

.

 _At last the winds have halted, the fog has scattered;_

 _The rain has finally stopped, the snow has melted._

 _I have become a dragon, my weak self shattered._

 _Will you stay, dear blossom, and be my Selected?_

.

.

.

She smiles wider after he reads the poem to her, and motions for him to kneel as well.

The court behind them looks on, waiting with baited breath.

Her eyes focus on his golden robes, sparing nothing, not even a glance for him as she picks up a brush in one graceful movement. Her right hand holds the brush like how a musician reveres his instrument, and the fingers of her left hand delicately holds the sleeve of her right hand in place. Her brush strokes are surprisingly strong but smooth, and her penmanship was aesthetically pleasing.

She smiles as she writes down her reply—her reply that she has composed long before, her reply that she been holding on for five years now. Their eyes meet for a moment as she finishes her reply to his poem.

And she thus reads—

.

.

.

.

.

 _Even if the winds howl on and the fog won't clear,_

 _Whether the heavens cry with snow or rain unknown_

 _Or even if you stay weak as you once appear_

 _Let me be a plum blossom for your Dragon Throne._

* * *

 **{END}**

* * *

 **Notes:**

Hour of the Dog – 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Hour of the Pig – 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM

Feng Qiu Huang – "Male Phoenix Pursuing the Female Phoenix"; think of it as a courtship song

Lǎoshī – teacher

Mogwai – "monster"

guzheng – Chinese zither

xiangqi – Chinese chess

chai – a hair ornament that is basically zan (hairpins) combined together. In ancient China, lovers will split a chai at farewell and each person keeps half. When they meet again they combine the two halves into one

Yang Guifei – said to be the most beautiful of the Four Beauties of Ancient China

Bai Juyi – Tang Dynasty poet and court official

 **Also:**

The writing of the poem on the skirt is based on a scene from the KDrama Hwang Jin Yi

The poems have influences from the songs Jia Ren Qu (Beauty Song) and Three Lives, Three Worlds

The last two stanzas of the poem are based on the poems presented in the film Garden of Words:

[A faint clap of thunder,

Clouded skies,

Perhaps rain will come.

If so, will you stay here with me?]

—from Man'yōshū, Book 11, verse 2,513

[A faint clap of thunder,

Even if rain comes or not,

I will stay here,

Together with you.]

—from Man'yōshū, Book 11, verse 2,514

I hope you enjoyed it! Please read and review, if I may be so bold to ask. Or fave or follow or something. X) Thank you very much for reaching the end of this page! :)


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